


Fate's Design

by sarahsharpe1231



Category: Black Lightning (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, FlashVibe Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:28:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22221064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahsharpe1231/pseuds/sarahsharpe1231
Summary: Barry couldn't believe what he just witnessed--what his best friend had the audacity to do. It wasn't supposed to be like this.#flashvibeweek2020 Missing Scene (6x09)
Relationships: Barry Allen/Iris West, Kamilla Hwang/Cisco Ramon
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	Fate's Design

**Author's Note:**

> "You named me Team Leader...and sometimes the leader has to make the tough choices."
> 
> When I saw the look in Barry's eyes after Cisco said this, the FIRST thought that came rushing to my mind was "PLEASE DON'T BE MAD AT HIM, BARRY!" Because Cisco did the only thing he had been wanting to do for the past month. And I was NOT going to be okay with Barry being mad at him for that....but then we didn't see what happened after they jumped through the breach (or, more accurately, after Cisco DRAGGED Barry though the breach). The next time we saw Barry, he was talking to Jefferson and we didn't even SEE Cisco or Caitlin for the rest of the episode!!!
> 
> This fic needed to be written. I know there's already a GREAT version of this missing scene on here by kiwifangirl (titled "The Flash, Vanished") but it's VERY soft and fluffy and despite how much I didn't want to see Barry be mad at Cisco...I knew he WAS. So I had to write it. So welcome to the angst-filled version of this scene!
> 
> Of COURSE I also have to note that--even though I didn't LOVE how it happened and MUCH would've rather it happened in 6x05 or 6x08--I have been over-the-moon THRILLED that my baby has his powers back. And the fact that he USED his newly restored, beautiful powers to save his best friend makes it all the more incredible! It's the ONLY THING that has gotten me through this hiatus because the last thing ANY of us want is for him to resent his powers again!!! So I PRAY that him using them to save Barry will help him RE-realize that he doesn't completely despise them. Because we ALL know there was a point where he wouldn't have given them up for the world!!!
> 
> Funny enough, I've had the idea for this fic since this episode aired...but as fate would have it, I had it ready by FlashVibe Week...so I had to post it on Missing Scene day! It's not romantic (as I only write canon-compliant) but I do LOVE their brotherhood and I'd say a reconciliation like this DEFINITELY counts as quality FlashVibe content! Well..."quality" is up to you! ;)
> 
> Enjoy!

Cisco pulled Barry through the breach back onto the Waverider. As soon as they were on the other side, Cisco let go. Barry spun around and watched in horror as the breach closed in front of him. He was breathing…loudly. Collecting his thoughts. He couldn’t believe he just let that happen. Suddenly, he turned around and made his way toward Jeff who was clearly looking exhausted.

“Hey,” Barry said. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Jeff answered. “Yeah, I’m good.” 

Barry turned toward Caitlin.

“Hey, can you take him to the library?” he asked. “He can rest there.”

“Sure thing,” Caitlin said.

With Jefferson’s permission, Caitlin helped to prop him up and led him down the hallway.

“Right over here,” she said as they turned the corner.

Barry rubbed his hand over his mouth as he watched them leave. He then turned around to face Cisco—fury in his eyes.

“What hell was that?” Barry asked—barely making eye contact.

“You know exactly what that was,” Cisco said.

“ _You let him die, Cisco_!” Barry yelled as he marched toward his best friend.

“No,” Cisco yelled, “I saved you! _Like I promised I would_! Remember that?”

“And I told you you couldn’t,” Barry reminded him.

“Because the only other option then was letting the world end,” Cisco said, “but that wasn’t the case now. Didn’t you tell me The Monitor said things are already different? After you watched _Oliver die_? Oliver Queen…who made a deal with that man to save you and Kara…whose death you didn’t accept either! You dunked him in a Lazarus Pit! How is this any different?”

“ _Because it was supposed to be me_!” Barry yelled. “Not Oliver. Not Flash-90. Me.”

“It was supposed to be The Flash,” Cisco said somberly. “The Flash vanished. Along with the rest of his world—I mean, it’s not like he had anything to go back to. But this world…our world…it still needs you. And I’m not just talking about the fact that you’re a Paragon—whatever the hell that means. Barry, you may have thought you prepared us for life without you…but the truth is, we’ve already experienced that…when you went into the Speed Force. We can’t go through that again. Not saving you…was never an option. And I guess I have to thank The Monitor for giving me back the means to do it.”

Barry turned around and ripped off his cowl.

“It’s not like I murdered him, Barry,” Cisco continued. “He asked me to let him back on. He wanted to save you. Just like Jay when he took Wally’s place in the Speed Force and just like your dad every single day of his life. I’m sorry if it feels like you lost him again.”

Barry’s eyes started tearing up. Cisco knew him too well. That’s exactly what had bothered him so much. It reminded him of when he had to ask Thawne to kill his mother again. He knew, though, that that was for the greater good—but apparently this was, too. He could help restore the multiverse. He could keep his promise to Iris and run home to her. He could have his beautiful baby girl and watch her grow up. He told the Speed Force he didn’t want to die. And he meant it. He just didn’t think he could actually prevent it. Barry turned back and faced Cisco. He walked toward him and wrapped his arms around him.

“Thank you, Cisco,” he said, sniffing back tears. “I don’t know what I’d do without you."

“Same here,” Cisco replied.

He patted Barry’s back and let go of his friend.

“I’m gonna go check on Jefferson,” Barry said, wiping a stray tear from his eye. “You good?”

“Yeah,” Cisco said. “Yeah, I think I’m gonna head back. Let Joe and Cecile know you’re alive. Explain… _this_ to Kamilla.”

Cisco fiddled with the goggles in his hands.

“Thanks,” Barry said with a soft smile, “and good luck.” 

“You, too,” Cisco responded.

Barry nodded his head and left to go meet Jefferson in the library. Cisco took a deep breath. His head was spinning. His stomach was in knots. He did it. He did the one thing he promised himself he would do for the past month. He wouldn’t have to wake up tomorrow in a world without The Flash…but Central City didn’t just keep one superhero. It got another one back. For good. The cure wouldn’t work a second time. Vibe was here to stay…whether he wanted it or not. Cisco wasn’t sure how to feel. These powers had helped him save so many lives…from complete strangers to the people he held dearest. They also have been the cause of so much destruction and torment and pain. No matter how much he told himself he took the cure to have a normal life or because he missed just being himself, it was the pain he really tried to run from…but there was no running from this. There was no escaping this destiny. It was a harsh realization to have to come to. He told Caitlin that he didn’t want Thawne to be right…but maybe all this time he was. And maybe that’s not as horrifying an idea as Cisco thought it was. The man brought Barry and Caitlin into his life, after all. And as long as he still had them…things would be okay. Cisco opened a breach and jumped through. He had just helped stop an earth-destroying anti-matter wave. He tried to tell himself that nothing could be as scary as that. He prayed he was right.


End file.
